Eugene Odell Cornelius, resident of The Glenn Minnetonka, died at Methodist Hospital on Sunday, January 19, 2020, from complications following surgery. He was 93 years of age having been born on March 10, 1926, in New Effington, South Dakota. Eugene, known as “Gene” was the son of Elmer A Cornelius and Agnes Pearson Cornelius. Grandchildren and friends also knew him as “Pop Corn.”
Gene attended all 12 years of elementary and high school at the New Effington Public School graduating in 1944. He enlisted in the US Army Air Corps while he was still a 17-year-old high school senior. While in the service, he served as a cryptographer technician during WWII. Following the service he attended Northern State College for a brief time before taking a job through a VA training program to learn the Auto Body Business under the Brooks Brothers at Sisseton, SD. While at Northern, he played basketball as a member of the Wolves team.
On June 30, 1946, Gene and Irma Genevieve Olstad were married at Zion Lutheran Church in New Effington. They established their home in New Effington where Gene started the Cornelius Body Shop. In addition to owning and operating the body shop, he also became a part time and later full time, employee of the United States Postal Service as a rural mail carrier. In 1989, he was honored for 35 years of service with the USPS.
Gene was an avid basketball and baseball player while at NEHS and later played both sports on New Effington Independent teams. He also became a professional referee officiating at high school basketball games throughout NE South Dakota. He loved hunting and fishing with his father and brother, as well as his sons and grandsons over the years. He became a member of the Read Veflin post of the American Legion in 1946 and served the organization proudly throughout his life. He was also a member of the New Effington Ivy Masonic Lodge and later the lodge in Sisseton. He was a member of both the Britton Shrine Club and the Yelduz Shrine of Aberdeen, South Dakota. He loved participating in the Shriner’s Golf Cart brigade in Shriner’s Parades throughout the upper Midwest and Central Canada. Gene served as the New Effington City Treasurer for almost 20 years; he was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader; in addition, he held positions of leadership in the Legion, as well as the other organizations in which he was involved. Gene and Irma traveled extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Europe. They attended a dozen national postal conventions.
Eugene was a lifelong Lutheran having been baptized and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in New Effington. His family belonged to Faith Lutheran Church when Zion was closed. He and Irma joined the Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer when they moved to Watertown in 2007. As “snow birds” who spent the winter months in Mesa, AZ for almost 30 years, they were also members of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Mesa. He loved to sing and sang base in church choirs throughout his lifetime.
Eugene was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Irma, and daughter, Phyllis. He is survived by daughter, Elaine Sternquist, Mesa, AZ., sons, Dennis (Pamela), Maple Grove, MN, and Douglas (Dawn), Apple Valley, MN. Also surviving are his grandchildren and great grandchildren: Elaine’s children Ann Wyly Gregory, Phoenix, AZ and Cameron Wyly (Anna) Aberdeen, SD (Hunter and James Wyly, Spencer, Alyx, Zander, and Parker Hoffman); Dennis’ children Christopher (Jennifer) Cornelius, Maple Grove, MN (Scott and Abbey) and Renae Kuehl (Ryan) St. Louis Park, MN (Austin and Avery); Doug’s children, Angela Brady (Chris), Eden Prairie, MN, Aaron Cornelius, Apple Valley MN, Amber Grochocinski (Geoff) Apple Valley, MN (Aurora), and Adam Gilbertson, Orlando, FL.
A memorial service and internment are to be held at Ft Snelling in Minneapolis in the spring complete with a military 21 gun salute. His ashes will be laid to rest next to his wife Irma who preceded him.
The family requests any memorial gifts be given to the Read Veflin American Legion Post. You may send them c/o Dennis Cornelius, 6570 Goldenrod Lane, Maple Grove, MN 55369.
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